High school football: No. 9 Mission Viejo vs. No. 23 Corona Centennial headlines MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week

By Zack Poff Nov 13, 2024, 11:00am

All four CIF Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinal matchups featured in this week's slate.

Every game in this edition of the MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week is a postseason contest. Four take place in California's Southern Section Division 1 bracket headlined by No. 23 Centennial (Corona) at No. 9 Mission Viejo

The Southern Section bracket topped our list of toughest playoffs in the country earlier this week.

In addition to Centennial-Mission Viejo, other matchups of note in that bracket include No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana) vs. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth), Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) at No. 7 St. John Bosco (Bellflower) and No. 16 Orange Lutheran (Orange) vs. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano).

In Michigan, Bryce Underwood led Belleville to an impressive 42-7 win over Saline in the second round of the Division 1 bracket and face 11-0 Catholic Central (Novi) next. The winner advances to the semifinals.



In Alabama, a huge 7A quarterfinal matchup is taking place in between Auburn and Thompson (Alabaster) on Friday. Auburn is the first team out of the MaxPreps Top 25 at No. 26 in our expanded top 100. Thompson's three losses have all come in overtime by one point. The Warriors have made it to the 7A state championship game six consecutive years.

The two top teams in Indiana square off with a spot in the 6A semifinals on the line as Brownsburg hosts Lawrence North (Indianapolis). The Wildcats are looking to win their first regional championship on Friday. The Bulldogs erased a 35-7 halftime deficit against Ben Davis (Indianapolis) and pulled out a 38-35 win last week.
Regarded as one of the top junior receivers in the country, Vance Spafford of Mission Viejo has caught 48 passes for 895 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. (Photo: Rene Morales)
Regarded as one of the top junior receivers in the country, Vance Spafford of Mission Viejo has caught 48 passes for 895 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. (Photo: Rene Morales)
MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week

Friday, 7 p.m. (All times local) - Watch live on NFHS Network

Top players

Centennial: QB Husan Longstreet (6-2, 200), WR Cory Butler Jr. (5-9, 170), LB Jonathan McKinley II (6-3, 220), WR Noah Westbrook (6-2, 210), DB Cade Paterson (6-2, 190)

Mission Viejo: DB Dijon Lee Jr. (6-4, 190), WR Vance Spafford (5-11, 175), DL Jaden Williams (6-4, 235), WR Phillip Bell III (6-2, 195), DL J.D. Hill (6-2, 245)



Both teams are playing their best football as they head into the Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals. Centennial has won eight in a row after starting the season 0-2. The Huskies have won every game by at least 14 points. Mission Viejo finished the regular season undefeated for the first time since 2019. This will be the third playoff meeting since 2021 with each team winning one. The Diablos won 31-28 in 2022 and the Huskies cruised to a 62-16 win in 2021.


Top players

Belleville: QB Bryce Underwood (6-4, 215), ATH Elijah Dotson (6-2, 180), DL Rashad Jones (6-4, 240), WR Charles Britton III (5-11, 165), LB Andre Thomas Jr. (6-1, 215)

Catholic Central: OL Danilo Guberinich (6-5, 300), ATH Jaden Pydyn (6-1, 200), WR Samson Gash (6-0, 180), DL Jack McHugh (6-3, 200), OL Benjamin Eziuka (6-3, 305)

This Division 1 quarterfinal matchup features two of the best teams in the state. Underwood has led Belleville to the state championship game every season during his career. The Tigers won it all in 2021 and 2022 while finishing as the runner-up last season. This is the best season Catholic Central has had since 2016 when it went 13-1 and finished as the Division 1 runner-up. The last time these two played was in the 2022 Division 1 quarterfinals and Underwood led the Tigers to a 33-10 win.




Top players

Sierra Canyon: DL Richard Wesley (6-5, 255), DB Madden Riordan (5-11, 165), DB Madden Riordan (6-3, 170), DB Jae'on Young (5-11, 165), RB Jaxsen Stokes (5-10, 175)

Mater Dei: RB Jordon Davison (6-0, 215), DL Tomuhini Topui (6-3, 320), OL Kodi Greene (6-6, 300), DL Nasir Wyatt (6-2, 210), QB Dash Beierly (6-1, 215)

Sierra Canyon notched its first win over a Trinity League opponent last week  by beating Servite (Anaheim, Calif.) 38-14 in the play-in. The Trailblazers were 0-3 against Trinity teams this season. Mater Dei has made easy work of a schedule featuring six nationally-ranked opponents, winning every game by at least 11 points. These two played in last year's Division 1 semifinals and the Monarchs rolled to a 42-14 win.




Top players

Thompson: DB Anquon Fegans (6-1, 180), DL Jared Smith (6-6, 235), QB Trent Seaborn (6-1, 190), LB Trenton Cheatom (6-2, 200), WR Darion Moseley (5-11, 175)

Auburn: RB Omar Mabson II (5-9, 210), DB La’Mychael Gunn (6-3, 180), WR Peyton Plott (5-9, 165), OL Trinton Pritchett (6-4, 255), QB Jackson Kilgore (6-0, 185)

This will be the third meeting between the two since 2020, with both coming in the 7A state championship. Seaborn led Thompson to a 49-24 win as an eighth-grader in 2022, completing 12 of 14 passes for 207 yards and a 7A title game record five touchdowns. Thompson scored 10 points in the final 18 seconds to pull off one of the wildest comebacks of all-time with a 29-28 win in 2020. The winner advances to face either Enterprise or Baker (Mobile) in the semifinals.


Top players



Santa Margarita: WR Trent Mosley (5-11, 170), WR Jonah Smith (6-0, 175), QB John Gazzaniga (6-7, 230), DL J.J. Hanne (6-4, 290), WR Jack Junker (5-10, 175)

St. John Bosco: WR Madden Williams (6-2, 185), DB Isala Wily-Ava (6-2, 195), DL Dutch Horisk (6-2, 230), DL Epi Sitanilei (6-5, 220), QB Koa Malau'ulu (6-1, 165)

Santa Margarita is a much different team when Mosley plays, going 5-2 with him on the field. The Eagles cruised to a 59-26 win over Inglewood last week to advance to the Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals. Mosley missed the regular season meeting that St. John Bosco won 13-0. The game was scoreless until the fourth quarter and the Braves blocked a punt for a score, then Malau'ulu iced the game with a 28-yard touchdown run. St. John Bosco has won the last 14 contests in the series.

Friday, 7 p.m.

Top players

Lawrence North: WR Davion Chandler (6-0, 170), RB Izayveon Moore (5-9, 175), LB Caleb Beeler (6-1, 200), QB Tanner Aspeslet (6-4, 210), WR Monshun Sales (6-5, 195)

Brownsburg: QB Oscar Frye (6-2, 175), WR Branden Sharpe (5-11, 155), WR Avin Robinson (6-1, 185), DB Quentin Russ (5-11, 170), LB Alex Burke (6-0, 205)



Lawrence North has never reached the state semifinals but can do so with a win here. The Wildcats have won 10 of 11 games by double digits and are coming off an impressive 24-7 win over Cathedral (Indianapolis). Sophomore quarterback Oscar Frye led an improbable Brownsburg comeback last week, erasing a 28-point halftime deficit for a 38-35 win over Ben Davis. He completed 27 of 41 passes for 449 yards and two touchdowns. Robinson and Sharpe combined for 16 receptions for 335 yards and two scores. This will be the first meeting between the two since 2017.


Top players

JSerra: LB Madden Faraimo (6-3, 200), OL Jake Flores (6-6, 285), QB Ryan Hopkins (6-4, 195), ATH Logan Christensen (6-0, 180), DL Simote Katoanga (6-5, 250)

Orange Lutheran: LB Talanoa Ili (6-4, 220), QB T.J. Lateef (6-3, 190), TE A.J. Ia (6-6, 215), OL Samuela Utu (6-5, 310), DB Benjamin Alefaio (6-1, 190)

The regular season meeting was a one-score game until the fourth quarter when Orange Lutheran took a 23-14 lead with 5:56 left. The Lancers held on for a 23-17 win. Arizona State-bound tight end A.J. Ia was a matchup nightmare for the Lions as he finished with seven receptions for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Chavez added 105 yards on the ground and a score. This will be the 20th meeting since 2006 and the Lancers hold a 10-9 edge.

Friday, 7:30 p.m. - Watch live on NFHS Network



Top players

Mill Creek: LB Luke Metz (6-3, 220), DL Devin Ancrum (6-3, 265), RB Daniel Smith (5-9, 170), QB Shane Throgmartin (6-3, 200), LB Gavin Knott (6-0, 190)

Douglas County: WR Aaron Gregory (6-3, 170), DL Jordan Carter (6-4, 235), WR Devin Carter (6-0, 165), QB DJ Bordeaux (6-2, 195), RB Zamarcus Lindley (5-11, 200)

Georgia's AAAAAA bracket is one of the toughest in the country and this opening round matchup features two of the best teams in the state. Douglas County's only two losses came against No. 5 Carrollton and No. 12 Buford. The Hawks lost by one score to North Gwinnett (Suwanee) and Collins Hill (Suwanee). Their only other loss came against Buford, 32-7. The winner advances to face either North Cobb (Kennesaw) or Camden County (Kingsland).

Saturday, 12 p.m. at Northeast High School (Philadelphia)

Top players

St. Joe's Prep: LB Anthony Sacca (6-3, 225), DL Maxwell Roy (6-4, 265), LB Cameron J. Smith (6-0, 200), DL Alex Haskell (6-3, 230), WR Rameir Hardy (6-2, 185)



Imhotep Charter: RB Jabree Wallace- Coleman (6-0, 205), DL Zahir Mathis (6-6, 225), DL Alvin Yates (6-5, 275), LB Charles Belser (6-2, 215), QB Joey McLeish (6-1, 180)

This is a matchup fans have been wanting to see for a long time and they finally get their wish on Saturday. The winner advances to the PIAA 6A quarterfinals. The Hawks got their revenge on La Salle College (Wyndmoor) and won 21-14 last week. The Panthers won their seventh game in a row with a 28-26 win over Abraham Lincoln (Philadelphia).

Thursday, 2:30 p.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium

Top players

Skyridge: OL Darius Afalava (6-5, 320), OL Ben Howard (6-3, 300), QB Kaneal Sweetwyne (6-5, 205), DL De'Shawn Toilolo (6-1, 230), RB Zaeden Selu (5-9, 180)

Lone Peak: OL Austin Pay (6-7, 290), OL Toby Mealer (6-5, 315), DB Jayden Mayberry (6-0, 175), DL Bott Mulitalo (6-4, 275), QB Kepa Niumeitolu (6-3, 205)

These two played just over a month ago and Skyridge held on for a 21-16 win, the Falcons' third win in a row against Lone Peak. The last playoff meeting came in the 6A semifinals in 2021 and Lone Peak won 20-0. The Knights went on to win the 6A state title in a 49-42 thriller over Corner Canyon (Draper). The winner will face either No. 20 Corner Canyon or Lehi on Nov. 21 at Rice-Eccles Stadium for the 6A state championship.